MANILA -- The much-anticipated Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) is expected to go full blast in October this year even as calls for unity among stakeholders for the sake of the country were reiterated at the close of the two-day Top Level Consultative Meeting on Development Plan for Philippine Sports and Set-Up of Philippine Sports Institute at the Century Park Hotel in Davao City Friday, September 2.
Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman "William" Butch Ramirez, in a media interview at the sidelines of the meeting, said regional training centers will be in place by October in line with PSC's grassroots sports development program through the PSI.
He said priority sports have been identified in these training centers including diving and boxing in Davao City, weightlifting in Zamboanga City where Olympic silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz is a native, archery in Dumaguete City, boxing and athletics in Cebu, Bacolod and Baguio cities, athletics also in Vigan; and swimming in Mindanao areas, among others.
These will all be in collaboration with the local government units (LGUs).
Ramirez said that a budget of P25 million a month from around P100 million share it gets from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) will be used for the operation of the PSI, which he said will address the need to bring sports to the countryside for talent identification and to make Filipinos healthy and vibrant citizens.
The PSI, too, will also cater to the needs of elite athletes or those in the national teams in preparing a blueprint for their success in international competitions like the Olympics, Asian Games and the World Championships.
But Ramirez, however, underscored President Rodrigo Duterte's order for him to unify stakeholders in sports as he urged consultative meeting participants to put love for country over their own personal agenda and their misunderstandings.
"Let's seize the day. Stop bickering and let's have a sense of love for country. We all truly have to unite. I don't know how. Let's start talking for the sake of our country. If we love our country, we can," the PSC chief said during his message in the afternoon session.
Former Senator and Philippine Swimming League (PSL) president Nikki Coseteng, for her part, called on unity with justice as she hit Philippine Swiming, Inc. (PSI) president Mark Joseph anew for not treating their athletes and coaches fairly the past years. PSI is the recognized national sports association (NSA) of swimming in the Philippine Olympic Committee.
Veteran sports journalist Quinito Henson also said that with a good vision as the PSI, it will not succeed with unity.
"This takes a lot of commitment, sacrifice and a lot of swallowing of pride. One goal, our commitment is to the athletes," Henson said, adding that athletes are often caught in the middle when sports leaders quarrel.
Six-time World bowling champion Rafael "Paeng" Nepomuceno appealed, "Let's give unity a chance. Let's give each other a chance to work together."
Meanwhile, Senator Manny Pacquiao, chairperson of the Senate Committe on Sports, said Thursday that the PSI is a "strategic move of the PSC", thus, will need the support of all stakeholders.
Ramirez added he will give the President a report on the consultative meeting that just ended and the other one (for LGUs) set before the month ends.
